1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to windshields for golf carts. More particularly, this invention relates to retaining brackets for golf cart windshields that retain the windshield in position about the front of the golf cart.
2. Description of the Background Art
Golf carts are typically motorized vehicles, gas or electric, that comprise a body portion including a driver""s seat and a passenger seat with a storage area in the rear for storing a pair of golf bags in an upright position. Most golf carts include a roof structure positioned above the body portion by means of four upright corner supports. The roof structure provides at least partial protection to the golfers in the golf cart during inclement weather such as rain, and also at least partially shades the golfers during sunny weather.
Golf cart roof structures do not provide complete protection since the front, rear and sides are open. Accordingly, there presently exist numerous types of enclosures for golf carts which are designed to provide added protection to the golfers seated therein. Generally, golf cart enclosures are composed of a canvas or vinyl material having a plurality of panels which are configured to be supported about the front, rear and side openings of the golf cart. The panels in some of these enclosures are suspended directly from the roof structure of the golf cart whereas others are suspended from a canvas or vinyl roof panel designed to be positioned over the roof structure of a golf cart so that the panels are suspended downwardly therefrom about the front, rear and side openings of the golf cart. Various means are provided for securing the lower edges of the panels to the lower edges of the golf cart in order to retain them in proper position. Most importantly, the front and typically the rear and side panels include sections of transparent vinyl which function as windshields or windows permitting the golfers to see out of the golf cart when fully enclosed in the enclosure. Representative golf cart enclosures are described and illustrated in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,259,656, 4,621,859, 5,310,235, 4,773,694, 4,098,536 and 4,488,750, the disclosures of which are hereby incorporated by reference herein.
The earliest models of golf cart enclosures included four panels (front, rear and side panels) as described above. However, it was soon realized that most golfers kept the front panel rolled down to function as a windshield even during good weather conditions. Golfers particularly favored keeping the front panel rolled down to function as a windshield to block the flow of air during operation of the golf cart. These front panels soon became known as xe2x80x9csoftxe2x80x9d fronts or windshields, and were particularly favored by golfers during cooler weather and light rain, because the soft windshield sufficiently deflected oncoming air to keep the golfers comfortable during movement of the golf cart. In many situations, the soft windshields were left in place almost year round.
Windshields composed of transparent hard materials such as a transparent acrylic or glass, for golf carts were soon developed. These became known as xe2x80x9chardxe2x80x9d windshields to distinguish them from the xe2x80x9csoftxe2x80x9d windshields composed of the transparent vinyl front panel of a golf cart enclosure. Indeed, golf cart enclosures were soon being manufactured as xe2x80x9cfour-sidedxe2x80x9d versions with a front panel having a soft front or windshield, paired side panels, and a rear panel and xe2x80x9cthree-sidedxe2x80x9d versions having only side panels and a rear panel intended to be used on golf carts with hard windshields.
Presently, there exists many types of hard windshields. Some are composed simply of a flat, hard transparent material that is permanently affixed to the front roof structure supports, others are entirely removable and still others are connected to the roof structure supports in such a manner that the windshield may be rolled on tracks out of the way up under the roof structure. Representative windshields for golf carts are described and illustrated in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,975,615, 5,195,797, 5,192,109, 5,110,174, 4,819,979, 4,795,205, 4,792,175, 4,773,695, 4,343,503, 4,014,589 and 3,958,826, the disclosures of which are hereby incorporated by reference herein.
One particular type of hard windshield consists of lower and upper sheets of transparent material, such as clear acrylic or polycarbonate, that are dimensioned to be positioned about the lower and upper openings of the golf cart, with the sides thereof secured to the left and right front roof structure supports, thereby functioning as lower and upper window panes of the windshield. The mating edges of the lower and upper windshields are hinged connected together such as by means of a living hinge or the like. The opposing sides of the lower windshield are secured to the front upstanding roof supports by means of threaded fasteners, rivets, or the like. Because of the living hinge, the upper portion windshield is permitted to fold down over the lower portion windshield in a stacked, parallel configuration such that the upper area of the front of the golf cart is xe2x80x9copenxe2x80x9d. When desired, the upper portion windshield may then be pivoted upwardly to a position substantially planar with the lower portion windshield, thereby xe2x80x9cclosingxe2x80x9d the upper area of the front of the golf cart. Fastener means are provided for securing the upper portion windshield in such a xe2x80x9cclosedxe2x80x9d position. In the industry, these types of windshields became known as xe2x80x9chinged windshieldsxe2x80x9d.
Presently, there exists numerous means for securing the upper pane of the windshield of the hinged windshield of the golf cart to the front upstanding supports of the roof structure. Historically, a hook and loop fastener such as that known by the trademark xe2x80x9cVelcroxe2x80x9d was first used by adhering one component of the fastener (hook or loop) to the opposing side edges of the upper pane of the windshield and adhering the other component of the fastener (loop or hook) to the front surface of the front roof structure supports. In this manner, as the upper pane is moved to the vertical, closed position, the components of the hook and loop fastener are engaged and securely retains the upper pane in the closed position. However, due to the nature of the hook and loop fasteners, it is sometimes difficult for the golfer to pull the hook and loop fastener apart in order to lower the upper pane of the windshield.
Another type of fastener for golf cart hinged windshields comprises generally U-shaped retainer clips that are dimensioned and configured to resiliently grasp about the roof structure supports. Typically, one of these U-shaped clips is rigidly connected to each opposing side of the upper pane of the windshield such that when the upper pane is closed, the U-shaped retainer clips snaps onto their respective roof structure supports, thereby securing the upper pane in its closed position. Importantly, the golfer can easily open the upper pane since U-shaped clips of this structure can more easily release from the upstanding supports than hook and loop type fasteners.
Still another type of fastener for golf cart hinged windshields comprises a rubber latch. Rubber latches of this type are permanently affixed to the front roof structure supports. They include an L-shaped or U-shaped configuration that can be bent backward during closing of the upper pane of the windshield and then released to resiliently engage the opposing side edges of the upper pane when closed. Rubber latches of this character tend to lose their inherent xe2x80x9cmemoryxe2x80x9d after repeated use thereby requiring replacement.
Still other types of fasteners for golf cart hinged windshields include articulated knobs or latches positioned through holes in the opposing sides of the pane of the windshield in such manner that when the upper pane is closed, the knob or latch can be operated to rigidly engage into a hole in the supports or a bracket affixed to the supports, respectively. Unfortunately, articulated knobs and latches of this character require holes to be drilled through the opposing sides of the upper pane, thereby increasing the manufacturing cost since acrylic is notch sensitive and relatively brittle. Moreover, repeated operation of the knob or latch of this character sometimes results in a degradation of the hole in the acrylic.
Still another type of latch has been patented by the applicant of the present invention (U.S. Pat. No. 5,568,953, the disclosure of which is incorporated by reference herein) for an improved retaining latch for golf cart hinged windshields. In the referenced patent, the applicant created an S-shaped latch which held the upper pane of a hinged windshield securely in place. The improved latch does not degrade over time and allows a person to easily latch or unlatch the upper pane of the hinged windshield on the golf cart.
Another type of hard windshield used on golf carts is a solid or one piece (no hinge) windshield. The one piece windshields, as well as the lower pane of the hinged windshields, require a retaining device to hold the windshield to the posts of the golf cart. The prior art uses a plastic bracket in which two xe2x80x9cUxe2x80x9d shaped slots are positioned 90xc2x0 to each other. The prior art teaches that the plastic brackets are to be slid onto the side edges of the lower pane of the hinged windshield or onto the side edges of the solid windshield to an approximate middle location. The windshield can then be attached to the posts of the golf cart by placing the brackets over the posts allowing the xe2x80x9cUxe2x80x9d shaped portion to engage with the posts of the golf cart. Note particularly U.S. Pat. No. 5,975,615 that teaches a U-shaped bracket including a slot for receiving the opposing side edges of the lower pane of the windshield for fastening to the side frame supports.
Finally, as shown in FIGS. 1a, 1b, 2 and 3, still another type of windshield retaining bracket 10 for a golf cart 12 comprises a squared S-shaped bracket 20 having perpendicularly-connected first outer transverse member 22, first outer longitudinal member 24, the middle transverse member 26, second outer longitudinal member 28 and second outer transverse member 30 that define a squared xe2x80x9cSxe2x80x9d configuration. The first outer transverse member 24, the first outer longitudinal member and the middle transverse member define a first U-shaped slot 40 dimensioned to snap onto the upstanding frame supports. A second U-shaped slot 42 is defined by the middle transverse member 26, the second outer longitudinal member 28 and the second outer transverse member 30 and dimensioned to receive the side edge of the lower pane of the windshield.
During assembly, first bottom brackets 10 are installed. The side brackets 10 are then installed. As better shown in FIG. 2, each side bracket 10 is installed by positioning the frame slot 40 of the S-shaped retaining bracket 20 onto the opposing side supports 34 and then sliding it down along the opposing support 34 along the side edges of the windshield 16. At the same time, the windshield slot 42 is slid over the side edges of the windshield 16 as the frame slot 40 of the bracket 20 is slid over the supports 34. Notably, the two xe2x80x9cUxe2x80x9d shaped slots 40 and 42 are at 180xc2x0 to each other and therefore serve the purpose of securing engaging the windshield 16 to the supports 34 of the golf cart 12.
Unfortunately, experience has shown that the brackets 20 tend to slip further downwardly along the supports 34 and, over time, may ultimately be positioned at the bottom of the supports 34. The tendency to slip is acute with increased jarring and bumping, such as during driving of the golf cart 12 over uneven terrain. Therefore, there presently exists a need for preventing the brackets 20 from sliding downwardly along the windshield 16 and supports 34. Similar problems are encountered when utilizing the brackets taught by U.S. Pat. No. 5,975,615.
Therefore, it is an object of this invention to provide an improvement which overcomes the aforementioned inadequacies of the prior art devices and provides an improvement which is a significant contribution to the advancement of the golf cart windshield art.
Another object of this invention is to provide an improved retaining bracket and notched windshield combination for a golf cart that, once installed, the brackets are prevented from slipping out of position along the sides of the windshield.
Another object of this invention is to provide an improved retaining bracket and notched windshield combination that is easily installed yet is secured into position to prevent slipping of the brackets during use.
The foregoing has outlined some of the pertinent objects of the invention. These objects should be construed to merely illustrative of some of the more prominent features and applications of the intended invention. Many other beneficial results can be attained by applying the disclosed invention in a different manner or modifying the invention within the scope of the disclosure. Accordingly, other objects and a fuller understanding of the invention and the detailed description of the preferred embodiment in addition to the scope of the invention defined by the claims taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.
For the purpose of summarizing this invention, this invention comprises two embodiments of improved retaining brackets for use with a notched windshield for golf carts. More particularly, both embodiments of the brackets of this invention comprise an xe2x80x9cSxe2x80x9d shaped bracket defining a first U-shaped slot for securing to the opposing supports of the golf cart and a second U-shaped slot for receiving the opposing side edge of the windshield (the U-shaped slot for receiving the supports is referred to herein as the xe2x80x9cframe slotxe2x80x9d whereas the U-shaped slot for receiving the panes of the windshield is referred to herein as the xe2x80x9cwindshield slotxe2x80x9d). The improved notched windshield of the invention comprises two embodimentsxe2x80x94one with opposing upper side notches formed inwardly along the upper opposing edges of the windshield and another with opposing middle side notches formed inwardly along the middle portion of the edges of the windshield.
During assembly, the respective first or second embodiment of the bracket is intended to be used with the first or second embodiment of the windshield. In both embodiments, the distance between the opposing notches is equal to the distance between the windshield slots of the opposing brackets.
In the case of the first embodiment of the bracket and notched windshield, the frame slots of the brackets are installed on the respective opposing supports and then slid downwardly such that their windshield slots fit into the opposing upper side notches of the windshield. In the first embodiment, the locking nature of the bracket with the upper side notches of the windshield prevents the bracket from slipping further downwardly along the edge of the windshield.
In the case of the second embodiment of the bracket and notched windshield, the windshield slots of the brackets are installed on the respective opposing middle side notches of the windshield and then the windshield with the attached brackets are assembled to the opposing side supports by pushing the frame slots onto the supports. A fastener is then used to fixedly secure the bracket to the support. In the second embodiment, the locking nature of the bracket with the middle side notches of the windshield serves to hold-up the windshield and prevent it from rubbing on the cowling of the golf cart.
It is noted that without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention, both of the embodiments of the brackets and notched windshield may be incorporated into the same windshield.
The foregoing has outlined rather broadly the more pertinent and important features of the present invention in order that the detailed description of the invention that follows may be better understood so that the present contribution to the art can be more fully appreciated. Additional features of the invention will be described hereinafter which form the subject of the claims of the invention. It should be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the conception and the specific embodiment disclosed may be readily utilized as a basis for modifying or designing other structures for carrying out the same purposes of the present invention. It should also be realized by those skilled in the art that such equivalent constructions do not depart from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the appended claims.